Dr Paul Allen

English: Jeroboam's idolatry, 1 Kings 12:25-33, illustration from a Bible card published 1904 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) We live in an age of consumerism. We are certainly blessed by our prosperity. But in an age of plenty, why are we so morally and spiritually bankrupt? According to the Bible, there are very real spiritual dangers in the lust for possessions, in the consumer mindset that looks to material objects for satisfaction rather than to God . Squeezing Through the Eye of the Needle “Give me neither poverty nor riches,” prays Agur in the Book of Proverbs , but “feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God” (Prov. 30:8–9). Having too little is a problem most people can relate to, but the Bible says that having too much can also be a problem. Poverty might drive someone to steal, but “having too much” can make a person think...

Joseph of Arimathea (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 19:23–24 “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” ( v. 24 ). Seeing the difficulty with which the rich young ruler faced the choice Jesus gave him, our Lord ’s observation that it is very difficult for rich people to enter God’s kingdom ( Matt. 19:23 ) comes as no surprise. Christ underscores just how hard it is for the wealthy to be saved with a proverb that says it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than it is for the rich to find salvation ( v. 24 ). Our Savior’s proverb is similar to other Near Eastern sayings that vividly depict a near-impossible task. Other writings refer to “elephants,” but Jesus speaks of a “camel,” which, as the largest animal used in His culture, is naturally chosen for the illustration. Christ is also talking about the eye of a sewing needle, the tiniest opening known in ancient Palestine...

Chinese depiction of Jesus and the rich man (Mark 10) - 1879, Beijing, China (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God !” ( Luke 18:24). The rich young ruler ’s countenance fell when Jesus told him to sell all his goods and give the proceeds to the poor. Frequently the Scripture gives this kind of warning to those who are blessed with a great deal of wealth . As we consider the matter of wealth from a biblical perspective, we see that there is nothing particularly evil in itself about the possession of riches. Abraham and Job were both wealthy, godly men. Those who possess wealth, however, face a unique temptation. Along with wealth comes a measure of power, and with power a feeling of self-sufficiency. Self-sufficient people trust in themselves and in their own power, making them impoverished in the things of the kingdom. Jesus addressed this issue in radical terms, saying that it is easier for a...